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Now that's pretty cool. Nice touches would be: delete visor, integrate mufflers as running boards, maybe some front fenders with rears to match. But that's all personal preference.

Moot point. I've never heard of anyone recycling light bulbs. I've replaced a few lights w/ led's. The fixtures in the shop made a huge difference. I put all led's on the truck bed when I built it, and have converted a few tractor lights to led too. The price is coming down dramatically.

I have many times. It makes the electric meter go round and round..... Even plugged in for hours, you radiator will be cold, because the thermostat prevents flow until the coolant reaches a certain temp, usually near 190*f or there abouts. That said, the warm water in the block is available for the heater core, once the water pump is spinning. As Jim pointed out, a warm motor gets happy much quicker.

I believe the cross-over acts as a siphon, equalizing the tanks to level, rather than equal, so if you're parked w/ one tank lower, it can flow whether the truck is running or not. That said, I ain't a truck expert, but have owned a few. I know all three of our Macks may overflow when recently filled and parked on the edge of a field.

Block heaters are generally 1500 watts, and have no thermostat. That means they draw roughly 14 amps of 110v current as long as they're plugged in. Generally, an hour or so is sufficient to warm up a small motor like most of us are using. Keep in mind, the heater only heats the coolant, not the oil which is down in the pan. Diesels aren't all the same in how they cold start, plus, if the starter, cables, or battery(s) aren't up to task, the motor won't spin fast enough to start when cold. I have a farm tractor that from new, needed ether to start below 40*f. After years and years, I refurbished the starter, replaced ALL the cables with larger gauge, and replaced the 2 -6v w/ 3- 12v batteries. It now starts at 20*f as if it were summer time.

It's already been said by Sculptor elsewhere, but I believe it deserves it's own topic. We have much for which to be thankful. On our last trip to the Grand Canyon area, then on to the National rally, we found ourselves commenting to each other how lucky we are to be able to enjoy this great and free land, and meet so many fine folks. Lets hope we can continue for a long time.

If you read the text on the link provided, it says there are 4 cameras and 4 screens to see ahead. For a bit less $$$$, you put a few baby Cummins up there and make more HP.

That thing belongs in the encyclopedia under "Fuggly".

Ho-hum, here I go, preaching to the choir. I've lost trailer brakes too many times. (once is too many...) Broken wire under the trailer, dislodged trailer cord, faulty ground, outright brake controller failure, etc. While these events are inconvenient when towing with "enough truck", they're probably not dangerous. My quest for "more truck" started when we were pulling a pop-up with a srw F-250. The trailer brakes were junk, and going down Wolf Creek Pass I had both feet on the brake pedal. Wife and kids didn't know until we were stopped. Certainly not all trailers justify a HDT. But why tow without a safety margin for when things go wrong? Too much truck is about right.😁

If you are in the area, there's a road that runs down a canyon from near Monticello, UT to near Blanding, called Montezuma Creek Rd. This canyon was frequented by the Dalton Gang, and some of their descendants still ranch there. We drove most of it in our smart, but came to deeply rutted sand near the south end. Not having a shovel, I chickened out.

My 17.5 Sailuns were made in Vietnam. Still not a "clean" place, but they do seem to be good tires. Time will tell. If they're as good as my 11.00R22.5 drives, I'll be happy.

It would appear that the OP needs to do a lot of homework.

He's back!!!!! You were missed.😁

Can you get to the underside and drill it out?

Dave, do you have one of these? https://www.toolsource.com/damaged-nut-removers-c-1321_173_177/universal-nut-cracker-716-to-34-inch-p-69712.html Not too handy in tight places, but it may work. I've used a hammer and chisel to expand nuts, then cut a slot in the end of the bolt for a screwdriver.

The term "China Bomb" gets tossed about frequently in these discussions. While there are cheap/inferior Chinese tires, there are also good Chinese tires. I have Sailuns on both my Newmar 5er and my Mack road tractor. I've had good luck with both. I know others who run Sailuns on their rv's with similar success. As to the GY tires, it's pretty obvious they know they have a problem, but keep making, and selling them. I took off my 16' Goodyears and replaced them with 17.5" Sailuns for greater capacity and less money. So far, I'm a happy camper.

Only an idiot is never afraid. The strongest weapon you have is your brain. Use it.

Switch to 16" tires, and they'll never last long enough to notice an alignment issue.💣

Barnyard enjinearing........ find a 8' fluorescent light bulb, and put it against the tires, horizontally, at axle height. It should touch each tire, front and rear. Roll tires 1/2 revolution and see if you get the same results. You can do the same thing with a string, if your arms are long enough.

If you factor in how young Phil is, it's really a no brainer.

Since we've strayed away from the posted topic....... While sitting next to a new Luxe at the National HDT rally, I noticed that all the black/gray plumbing was hanging outside the belly, fully exposed to road debris and cold air. While perhaps not a huge concern for most, it speaks to a possible lack of planning on the part of the manufacturer. It makes you wonder what other concessions were made.

Are you coming to ECR?

I know this is a silly question, but have you looked into just buying new seat cushions? Perhaps your friendly Pete dealer has them in stock.

Are you implying that some of us have a "wide base?" Well, after all, most of us are in out "metallic years", when we have silver in our hair, gold in our teeth, and lead in our, um, bases.

Thanks all. Now the decision is whether to just order them, or make it a project with grandson.